Gratia's Trials — page 195: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

186 GRATIA'S TRIALS. to indulge any such artistic inclinations, so far as Aer face was concerned. | ‘“We shall only have my brother with us for a few days,” Alicia went on. ‘‘And Colonel Falconer leaves this evening.” ““Does he ?” ‘To return very soon to America, I believe. _Z should like to see America,” said Miss Melworth, with sudden enthusiasm. ‘It is the most beautiful country in the whole world,” Gra- tia burst forth fervently; ‘‘the fairest, best, noblest land that ever the sun shone on,” And then she began to weep softly, the tears dropping into the folds of Alicia Melworth’s white alpaca dress, The young lady saw the effort she made to repress her emotion, and wisely took no notice of it. ‘*Gratia,” she said, ‘‘I wish you would just run down into the rose-garden and ask Anderson for a pretty spray of those cream-white bride-roses. ‘They are so fragrant and delicate, and I like to wear them in my hair at breakfast.” Gratia hurried away, without perceiving the kindly ruse which was meant to give her an opportunity to recover herself. ‘*She'll feel better when she comes back,” said Alicia to her- self, as she took upanovel. ‘‘ Poor little thing! She must be dreadfully homesick. If Colonel Falconer had a wife ora sister going back with him I would almost beg her to take Gra- tia along. I am getting very much attached to the dear little creature, but it seems almost as cruel as it would be to cage a wild bird to keep her here against her will.” While these thoughts were passing through Alicia Melworth’s gentle heart, Gratia was hurrying across the lawn, her face shaded by the broad brim of a gipsy hat. 7 ‘‘Anderson,” she said to the gardener, ‘‘ Miss Melworth wants a bunch of those white bride-roses.” ‘“A bunch, indeed!” echoed the old man, holding up his hands. ‘‘An’ disna Miss Alicia ken that roses is as scarce as Scomichooks:-co ~* . oY See